Those Styrofoam Fake Nests Do Attract The Young Swiftlet !!!

"Harry, I followed your advises on the use of fake nests made of Styrofoam. It works !!! However my "Sifu" seem to say that this is an old fashion ways of attracting those young birds."

Well if it works why should you be bothered with the comment made by your "Sifu"?

One of the ways to pull those young birds into your new BH is to have as many "goodies" or "chocolate" to attract new birds colonising the nesting areas. Fake nest introduction is one of them.

If they like fake nests just put as many as you can (not to much). If they like those tweeters, do the same and if they like the aroma do the same. If they like to build their nests at corners, give them. If they like those rusty iron plates, you install some.

Never stop them until the nest population in your BH reaches a minimum of 300 nests. When this number is met, you need to modify your strategies. You now need to push them to built their nests on the planks. You need 180* shape full cup nests. No more those 90* nests, those rusty nests, those with white styrofoam layer on the harvested nest and so on.

Yes you might want to remove them in stages. Place those corner covers in full or at least on those corners with nest (harvest those nests first).

"But Harry is it true that if you use aroma the nest will be contaminated? My Sifu believed in Organic. As such he do not believed in aromas, no ammonia powder, no introduction of foreign materials and so forth."

So far after 12 months do you think his advise make sense?

"Nope, that was why I called you for your scientific advises. I think I need to use more common sense and more scientific methods then his old fashion ways of populating my BHs."

Well the choice is yours. You owned those BHs and not him. You have forked out more then 500,000 rm and after 12 months his methods are not giving good results. My advise is to move on and try something new, more scientific, which you think will helps you to populate your BHs.

Don't look back and blame your Sifu. You should thank him for introducing this special business to you in the first place. Without him you might not be here with me.

Remember I am not the only person who can give you some advises but there are many more out there. The most important is to choose one and try his methods for at least 6 months.

Make sure you record the outcome of his new methods and keep the statistic of how many new nests or shits spots on the floor are progressing.

If he can change and improve those signs, keep him but if he fails drop him. Be fair to him and let him do what he can for a period of not less then 6 months.